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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · wax · dip · race · patient · ruler · stick · lash

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. race — humankind
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. race — a contest
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — to grow
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. race — the arms race
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com